TED Ferrell

Yana and other jazz fans.There seems to be a bunch here that dig those sounds I do too and still love all styles of jazz as much as I ever did.The jazz culture is yet a whole different venue.When I was eighteen with fake id i used to go to The Town Lounge here in Cleveland and listen to one of my favorite tenor sax playere Eddie Chamblee That club was what was known as a black and tan club and very few whites had the nerve to go into that club usualy I was the only whitey there.Because of my awe for Eddie and his group I became his friend and when I would go to the club to listen Eddie from the stage behind the bar would tell whoever was sitting on my favorite bar stool to move so I could set down.Several times I would hang around till closing and Eddie would invite me to an after hours club at The Majestc Hotel (also all black) where all the local and whoever traveling jazz men and women were in town would show up for a jam Most times it was 6 or 7'am or later before they played the last tune.Eddie Chamblle was one of the greatest tenor saxmen I have ever heard He was an inspiration to my life Later On Eddie married Dinah Washington and recorded with her one of my favorite albums Dinah Wahington sings Bessie Smith with The Eddie Chamblee Orch. it is an old Mercury jazz release and if you ever can find it and give a listen. Around 1959 While I was performing in Chicago at The Old Hyde Park Hotel Eddie and Dinah came in and we had good chat of course I picked up ther bar tab.I loved Eddie Chamblee and am so thankful for the kind friendship he showed me.and because of that friendship names of some of the old jazz giants that have been mentioned on this thread I got to see and hear in a setting few would have the privledge to do so Eddie is gone now but I will say it anyway Thanks Eddie You Still Are The Best Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 25, 2002 at 16:58.] [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 25, 2002 at 17:03.]

Hi There Grizzy Being a night owl because of too many years in the clubs working to 2 or 3;am most times I do not get in high gear till around 10 p;m when the crowd started coming in and than we could crank up the volume So before now and the last set tonight we will have another jam Say grizz how is your son doing with his music.Did he and the boys in the band get things worked out.If you do not care to answer here at Kathy's Club email me cause I sure would love to hear how he is doing. Till Than Ted F.

Well I'm back on the midnight run here.Had to watch The Browns work over The Saints Today and do a few other things but will pick up where we left off. And I want you all to know how you posters are addiing so much to the mix here,This is great stuff from all of you.Socks I think there are so many stories here about the music culture and did it have any lasting affect on our lives. Many of us have been there seen that done that and perhaps we should put it all in some kind of form to pass on to the next generation Kathy you are a sharp and wise lady and I love how you treat all that post here with love and kindness,perhaps by inspiration you started this thread..But before we are through might need a few more six packs.ha! ha1 Thanks Kath Now lets begin to look at thr sixties by the end of the fifties there seemed to be a chill wind in the air and some thought rock and roll was dead.This time is known as The Big Chill Era for the big beat. Country artists were staring to make headway on the charts Folk music became popular Kingston Trio, Joan Baez.Peter Paul And Mary Folk clubs and coffee houses sprang up across the country Even Elvis seemed to be slowing down with his 1960 remake of a 1920's song Are You Lonsome Tonight.1961 rolls in and the number one hit of that year was Wonderland By Night a easy listening tune by Bert Kaempfert Lawerence Welk hits the charts with an instrumental named Calcutta.and folk music had some more hits such as an old black gospel song Michael Row The Boat Ashore 63 ticks in and most of the hits were watered down tunes but a new dance did appear that year The Twist and the kids had something to grove to as the parents cried oh no not again.63 did not add much to the picture Hang up your rocking shoes cause the rock and roll days are gone and the adults said well that's that But as Bob Dylan warned us in his song The Times They Are A Changing hold on to your seats folks get set for the British Invasion that would usher in a new culture and revolutionze pop rock music forever. Till Next Time Love You All Ted F.

Hi bowtwi wil try to find Jelly Roll Blues lyrics for you as I may have it in some old song books. Now than we are headed into the sixties culture and many of you here are baby boomers and can offer some great insight as to the songs and artists of those days So jump in there and wail away because you are from the culture that became the hippie culture and that was the first young culture that wound up in twi.So folks fire away. Like Kathy I need some caffine right now.Kath don't you ever sleep are you awake or walking in your sleep ha1 ha1 I will be back later on. Ted

Hi there John my dear dear friend I sure would love to get together again someday.And yes I still have most of those old albums including The John And Yoko Wedding album which is in great shape and worth a good deal of money now.So if any of you have that album it is priceless. So here goes my story of how when and where I met Elvis. The year was 1955 and On one of the engagements I frquently worked at The Julep Lounge in Louisvile.The booking agent who booked us in that room comes in one night and says hey this coming Sat.afternoon I have booked some guy named Elvis Presley into the aud.and wondered if you would like to go with me to see him.I said sure cause I had heard the rumblings from Memphis about this guy.So we go down to the concert and the place is packed Bucky Baron the agent and I went backstage and I sat down in a chair right by the wings to the stage.Elvis comes walking by and with eyes straight ahead walks onto the stage after being introduced and he let it fly the kids went crazy.I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing and thought my god the man has got it.Bucky the agent asks do you think he is any good I replied you had better believe it cause you are looking at a soon to be super star.Bucky said nah he is just a flash in the pan.When Elvis came of stage ringing wet with sweat he stood by where I was seated and as he wiped the sweat out of his hair and eyes he put out his hand and said my name is Elvis Presley what's yours I stood up and said Ted Ferrell we shook hands and he asked humbly how I thought he did.Told him man thought you were great.We chated for awhile and I told about how I was playing at The Julep and he replied Ted I would love come see you but we have another show to do in Owensboro Ky. tonight and as he walked away he turned and said hope to see you again someday Ted .Me too Elvis I replied. In the early spring of 1956 while working a gig in Duluth Mn.I had the car radio on and there he was singing his first number one hit Heartbreak Hotel I pulled the car over to side of the road and listened intently and in my mind said Elvis you are on your way.A couple years later we were appearing at The Voo Doo Lounge in Nashville when Elvis walks in along with a few other people and takes a table he looked up and saw me on our little bitty stage and yells hey Ted how you doing man.From the stage I told him Elvis doin great how about you he replied oh 1 cant complain.The bartender comes up by the stage and asks do you know him I said I met him once well right away the bartender asks do you think you could get him to do a song or two.I did not answer him.So during our break I walked over to Elvis's table to say hi and he invited me to set down and introduced me to the men he was with most of them big wigs from RCA we talked for awhile and he comented he thought I was doing a good job and sang real good. and as I got up to leave I said Elvis some people asked if you would like to do a number or two but I ain't gonna ask you to do it.He smiled oh what the heck lets do it.We talked about the songs we knew hw did and decided on a couple of them.Now people I want you to know by this time Elvis Is a super super star and yet he had no quams about getiing up and singing with a piano player and me at that time a stand up drummer The little stage was up behind the bar and there was no room for him to get up there so I handed him a mike across the bar and he stood there on the floor and sang his heart out as if he were before 25000 people.Neddles to say the room went nuts.When he finished singing he handed the mike cross the bar and rejoined his friends.He stayed for a little while longer and as he got up to leave I saw him hand the bartender something.He looked up at me and said see you Ted you take care now I replied you do the same see you Elvis and he was out the door.On the next break the bartender called me over and said Elvis just bought you five bottles of the best stuff we have and he left this for you too I looked and it was ten one hundred dollar bills.Never saw Elvis after that but always followed his career and was happy seeing him do so well Elvis was a fine man loved God and his Son Jesus Christ and he proved that as he put out some of the finest gospel albums of all time.I believe he just got caught up in the rat race of the music bizz. and because of the leeches that surounded him the day came when it all ended in Aug of 19977. And so with we close the chapter of the fifties and head on to some great music and the new culture changes of the sixties. Thanks everbody kinda tired now so will go back to bed Gods Love To You All Ted [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 24, 2002 at 3:44.] [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 24, 2002 at 3:59.]

Ron G. I enjoyed you comments about how broad your tastes are in music not many people know about the pop music of the eighteen hundreds and folks there was some pretty good stuff that came out of those days.Like music of the gay nineties man today you would not call it the gay nineties unless you wanted the homo haters breathing down your throat ( no pun intended) Highway29 my offer stands for you and all grease spotters who would come to Cleveland to see The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame You Just let me know and I will get the tickets and take you down to ninth street by the lake I was not going to post anymore tonight but had to get up to make a pit stop so away we go.Before I share my two encounters with Elvis.Let's talk a little about his impact on the fifties culture and why he was so loved by the youth and dissliked by many of the older folks.Elvis came out of the deep south and listened to and was influnced by the black and country music so his style of singing reflected all that.When he burst on the scene in 1956 people were amazed that how so quickly he became the rage.His gyrating movements and gut level fellings he put into his songs were awsome.I guess you all know that he had a number hit around the world recently. Well back in the middle fifties the critics of his music put him down calling him a nigger singer and were apauled by his obscene sexual movements.But the kids loved him and they did not care what Mom And Pop had to say they wanted more and more of him and he gave it to them hit after hit.He was a great entertainer.Along with Elvis came many fine rock and roll groups like Jerry Lee Lewis,Everly Brothers,The Platters doo wop songs and many more fine groups writers and singers.Also an amazing thing happened for the first time black and white perfomers were on the same bill and stage doing concerts together I believe that was the first signs of things to come in the civil rights movements.The fifties music was mostly happy full of joy and oh how those kids could and did dance,To this day if you are out playing in a club and you start playing some songs from those yeart the dance floor will fill up with young and old alike.This one is getting a little lengthy so will post and my next one will be about my twice meetings with Elvis. Thanks to all for letting me share. Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 24, 2002 at 1:31.]

joniam loved that story about your Mom I can just see her now dancing round the room with the vac. Ah! yes so from out of the blue here comes Elvis. but first let me share another story.In late 1957 I was playing at The Julep Lounge in Louisville Ky.and we splt sets with other acts booked there thirty minutes on thirty minutes off Well one week while there this young kid shows up that has been booked there and I intro him and he goes on to do his first set.He played piano and sang jazz standards had a good voice but only new nine songs so he repeated one or two before he came off.After our set I brought him on again and he repeated the same nine songs.Well we were doing the latest rock and roll hits and had a vast repitore.At the end of the night the owner of the club asks me what do you think of this kid.I replied oh he will do fine.The boss said don't think so he ain't got enough tunes in his bag to do this gig.I just said give the kid a chance.Invited him out to breakfast and he was very thankful for that since he did not have hadly a dime in his pocket's I was pretty flush at the time so I gave him fifty bucks to tide him over.I told him to come over to the club the next day so we could help expand his song list.Well he learned a few more songs and was able to finish out the week.While we going over songs to learn he asked me so Ted do you think that rock and roll is here to stay.I told him yes.A few months later he had a hit called Splish Splash His name was Bobby Darin and until his death I heard from him now and then and he always thanked me for kindness shown. About Elvis I will post next.Think I may be getting a little worn out on typing as I am not to swift at that just a hunt and pecker and sometimes my spelling is not to hot either Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 19:11.]

Abigail you are so right on about being a part of what your children might be listening too or looking at..That is true parenting and I know you would be fair and just.I applaud you for that. Meanwhile back at the ranch towards the end of the forties there was a five piece group called Louis Jordan and His Tympani Five.He was a black man and to me he was the father of the early rock and roll sound of the fifties..He was on most every juke box cross the land and for the first time red necked white people even liked that rocki'n black sound..As the fifties rolled in still so much of the music was the big band sound and your Sat Night Hit Parade Show on radio.Another strange thing happened gospel tunes became major hits songs such as It Is No Secret.This Old House.,Have You Talked To The Man Upstairs and a few more..Pretty mellow time right then.In 1953 and 1954 a white band out of Texas started having hits it was Bill Haley and The Comets.By then I was living in Cleveland and every night tuned in to WDOK to the Moondog Show hosted by the man who termed rock and roll Alan Freed.He played black RnB along with what the white folk were putting out and hw would say "Man are we gonna rock and roll tonight.And that is why The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is here in Cleveland.If any of you ever come to Cleveland I would be happy to take you there as my guest. So here I am in Cleveland listening and dreaming about how I would like to get involved with this new music scene So I started a three piece and even though I was underage stared playing in the clubs around town with a fake id in hand. As this rock and roll music began to catch on people started to get all hot and bothered about it and felt it was a threat to society and were gonna stomp it out.Well the kids said no way and rebeled aginst their parents family and church.and kept right on a rocking and a rolling.Chuck Berry helped them do that too.So now we hit 1955 and 1956 as Elvis makes his first showing and man you would not believe the fury he caused.I met Elvis twice and in my next thread will share with you that story.He was a good man but just got tricked at the end. More about the fifties later so See You Later Alligator. Hope I am not boring you all with this stuff but there will be an ending between now and The Lord's Return.I hope. Love To All Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 17:51.] [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 18:08.]

Hi act2 and thank you for your comment about me.Did I pay you enough to say that.ha1 ha! only kidding. The reason I am going back in time about pop music in our culture is to set the stage for a conclusion and as we go along here when we get to your area of music please jump right in there with your imput cause their ain't no way I know it all. Towards the end of the thirties and overlaped into the forties the big band sound emerged and most people thought it was OK.But the forties culture was faced with yet another problem from the kids It was called boogie woogie and that crazy dance they did named the jitterbug oh! my the parents wailed what is this world coming to and how about this skinny kid from Hoboken NJ that as he sings the young girls swoon and faintin the aisle's. What is about this crooner anyway they asked The guys hated him cause he was stealing away the ladies hearts. His name was Frank Sinatra Another thing happened in the forties that changed the complexion of music listened to and that was world war two.The popular songs of the day were more melancholy and patrotic but as the war came to an end it was back to biz. as usual. I was just a kid then but begin to be very aware of the music around me and after much pleading with my folks they bought me an old wind up victrola that played 78 rpm and I begin to collect records with a vengance.I spent all my allowance and whatever I could beg borrow or steal to get the latest hits.While collecting I ran across a sound I had never heard before it was called race music only blacks listened to that kind of junk some told me but I loved that sound and when rock and roll came along in the fifties I knew I'd heard that sound before and when critics said that crap will never last.I thought well lets just wait and see.And from the forties we shall move on to feel the beat that shook the world and changed pop music forever Southern.Gospel quqrtet's were becoming quite popular too with the church set and as we go along here you will see this make it's way into twi. I am in no way a great writer so all of you please bare with me as I try to tell the story af the why's and therfore's about pop music and the outrage caused by some of it down through the years. Kathy it's all your fault you got me into this mess by starting this thread that I could not resist posting on but wiill forgive you if you promise not to do it again ha! ha! Kath your the best. Thanks again everbody for putting up with me Next we hit the fifties and that's when the s--- really starts to hit the fan. Love To All Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 16:01.]

Garth P. Your post reminded me to say one other thing about prev. post and that is what most preachers preached about music in those days and it was mostly negative Take for instance Billy Sunday was a hell fire and brimstone preacher who preached about the sins of alcohol and how the youth of the nation were being corupted by the god afwul music they sang, danced (dancing was a sin big time) and listened to.The gospel music songs of those days were mostly hymn style with the exceptation of the black culture who sang lamenting soulful songs which was the begining of what we call the blues.Thanks Garth for reminding me about the word in culture thing.

Well dad burn it Kathy your post has drawn me out of my somewhat GS seclusion.I stiil think your photo looks like a little angel only thing missing is a halo round your head. Garth you hit the nail on the head and bring up some very good points about how yesterdays or todays music has postive or negative influence on us all as kids or adults in a way we are all still kids just got bigger that's all. And now to the subject matter at hand.First of all lets go back in time and look at the history of pop music in the good ol'e USA In the early ninteen hundreds ragtime was the craze and by some considered to be devilish there was a ragtime pianist named Jelly Roll Morton who did a song called Jelly Roll Blues and for those of you who do not know what the lyrics were about let me assure you it's not about what you would buy at your local bakery. Than the roaring twenties rolls in and lo and behold the kids start doing The Charleston, The Black Bottom and other perverted dances. Mom's and Dad's just shook their heads in dissgust. These dances they said were out of line and were causing the kids to go to hell in a hand basket During that time proabition became the law which did not help much cause the booze continued to flow like water The flapper ladies Shook It Like Their Sister Kate and sang I'm In My Sin So Bring Me My Gin (hic)Now we are up to the thirties and because of the great depression songs of hope for a better day were sung such as Sunny Side Of The Street and Pennies From Heaven during that time ther were also some pretty suggestive songs too like Making Whoopee and Let's Do It the lyrics said Bees Do It Birds Do It Even Jelly Fish Do It So Let's Do It Let's Fall In Love...well at least before they did it back then they should be in love first. Now we are entering the forties and because this is going to be a pretty lenghty post will end this portion of the program and if you all would like I will continue later. Thanks for letting me share. Your GS Buddy Ted F. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 11:28.] [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on November 23, 2002 at 11:46.]

Escuse me for posting on the wrong thread.Have to retype and put it where it should be. [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on October 23, 2002 at 20:37.] [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on October 25, 2002 at 21:31.]

So Jon how does it feel to be twenty nine.Man how time does fly by.You keep this birthday thing going on and prety soon you will be catching up with me.Now don't you dare do any research on that subject. Have the best birtday ever Jon. I suppose I do not tell you enough how much I admire and am blessed by your research and teaching of God's Word.Sure love you and will be over when I can. Your Brother Ted

Linda I may be a day late and a dollar short but still wanted to wish you the happiest of birthdays.You are a very sweet and kind lady not only that but you are cute too.God Bless You Linda Z Your Friend Forever Ted [This message was edited by TED Ferrell on October 19, 2002 at 21:08.]

Glad you hooked up with Skip. Nancy and David.Last time I was in LA tried to figure out a way to go North and see those fine folk's and you and Janet too but did not have enough time.Did see snd talk with Paul D.and guess who showed up with him? Kristina Linder(Perez) and I asked her to do a few tunes for the LA believers and John she still has that pure crystal clear voice.Of course I requested He's The Highest Of The High and Silently my oh my John it brought tears of joy to my eyes.Love to see her record and put out a CD. John I have a lot of irons in the fire.some things I will write you about later on and say listen next time I'm in Ca.will try to come knocking at your door You still the best and I love you Your Brother Ted

You may ask who can that be well let me tell who get's my vote,,why it's none other than mister socks here at gs. John can play any style you may ask of him be it rock. blues,jazz or country.I recall a time I asked him to play a Wes Mongotmery jazz lead.which means playing in octavies.John did not blink an eye and said 'sure Ted i can do that"and he did it first time through, And you talk about playing the blues well all you think BB King is de man well I say John could blow him off the stage anytime. So if any of you are a wanna be guitar man then my advice to you is pick this mans brain and maybe just maybe you will get half as good as Mr.Socks the all around guitar man. That will be twenty dollars John!! HA! HA! lOVE yOU Bro. Ted. [This message was edited by Kit Sober on October 19, 2003 at 21:08.]